The days of the Bee Gees and rollerblading are back, and their return could not be more exciting. Whether you’re scrolling through TikTok or noting celebrity street style, it’s clear that the revival of the grooviest decade is here. The 1970s are here to stay, as snippets of old hits like Earth, Wind and Fire’s “September” floods social media, and bell bottoms are being reinstated as a fashion go-to, so get ready to clean out your mom’s closet and reinvent all of her old vintage looks. 

Flare Leg Pants:

The most noticeable modern spin of the 1970s is the movement away from skinny jeans and banded-bottom pants and toward wide leg and flare pants and jeans. Companies such as Levi’s and Aritzia’s Denim Forum have begun marketing their products with “70s High Rise Flare” and “Farrah” 70s Wide Legs inspired by 70s icon Farrah Fawcett, as a way to advertise the comeback of the open hemmed pant leg. This style has even permeated to other pant styles such as the famous Aerie High Waisted Flares from TikTok or the Princess Polly Boogie Pants, where the name of these bottoms says it all.  This month, the flare leg jean trend can be seen on celebrities like Devon Lee Carlson, where in one of her recent Instagram pictures she paired some low waisted wide-legged jeans with a groovy tie-dye tee and knotted linen shirt.

Patterned Two Piece Sets:

The 1970s had no shortage of funky stripes and paisley, and neither does 2021. Finding a groovy flare pant or A-Line skirt paired with a tie front or halter top — much like Cher’s iconic 1974 Oscars look — to sport this fall will not be a struggle. These sets are beyond versatile, and can be mixed and matched to flow with the seasonal changes. Over the past spring and summer, we saw celebrities sporting crop top and skirt sets of all different patterns ranging from Olivia Jade’s I.AM.GIA tie-dye set this past May or Bella Hadid’s black and white floral embroidered set from her night out in East Village in August, as seen on her Instagram. Transitioning into the winter, we will be seeing a lot more of these vibrant patterns taking form in flare pants, cropped sweater tops, and collared shirts, as seen on popular websites such as Princess Polly, ASOS and Verge Girl. Paired with layered gold chains and some platform booties, rocking these sets will surely bring some funk to your fall wardrobe. 

Oversized Business Casual:

Sticking with the two piece set theme, the classic collared shirt with a blazer and pant combo are on track to be on trend for this fall’s street style. Classic 70s fashion icons such as Margaux Hemingway and Jean Shrimpton first coined this style of dressing down formal clothing for a day out in the city, and they would be proud to see these looks making a big return to fashion. From Kendall Jenner’s recent Summer Jacquemus campaign, where she wore a hot pink pant and button down shirt set, to Kaia Gerber’s recent leather blazer and burgundy linen pants pairing at Marc Jacobs Fall/Winter 2021 show, there is no shortage of oversized blazers, A-Line pants and popping collars. Throwing on one of these fashion forward yet formal pieces and pairing them with a good chunky loafer will elevate any look, whether it is for a quick Sunday brunch, day of classes, or business casual event. 

Shearling Trim Fur Coats:

Browsing any local thrift store or online secondhand stores such as TheRealReal, Depop or Poshmark, it is hard to not notice the flood of “70s Fur Trim Coats” being sold. The most notable example is from the early 70s inspired movie “Almost Famous,” where Kate Hudson’s character sported one of these unforgettable shearling trimmed coats. These exceptionally warm jackets have made their comeback into 2021 fall fashion. A very prominent example of this comeback is the Kardashian Aspen Trip this past January, where Kylie Jenner famously paired a beige full-length shearling trim coat with black lace-up boots for her winter getaway. Other celebrities such as Hailey Bieber and Rihanna were spotted rocking one of these at the end of this past spring, and I have no doubt they will be on the return as temperatures begin to dip. So go ahead, hit your local thrift store or favorite online consignment shop (make sure to shop sustainable with these coats!), and purchase one of these comfy yet groundbreaking 70s revival pieces.

Platform Leather Boots and Sandals:

Last but not least, the return of the 70s could not occur without the revival of these gems: platform leather boots and sandals. Transitioning from summer to fall, there will be no lack of platform shoes, ranging from the all-time favorite platform heels to stained leather platform booties, perfect for the changing weather. The spike of these shoes began this summer with Sarah Jessica Parker’s outing in brass platform heels during the filming of the “Sex and the City” reboot and the platforms Olivia Rodigo wore on her infamous trip to The White House to discuss vaccine hesitancy. Moving into the fall, we can all take inspiration from various fashion designers, such as Steven Madden and Vagabond, who have incorporated these 70s-esque boots into their Fall 2021 collections, ranging from a light tan to the classic black leather, and styles in ankle or knee high. These versatile options are bound to make their comeback this fall in all colors, shapes and sizes.
In reflecting on this embraced resurgence of 70s culture, the uncanny similarities can be seen between the socio-cultural climate of the 70s and the new decade of the 2020s. The 1970s, much like the new 20s, were a time of turmoil and revolution, within and outside the sphere of fashion. As the fashion began to change away from the more formal, clean cut lines of the 60s and towards a free flowing and flashy style in the 70s, cultural sentiments did just about the same. At a time when sexuality, gender and atypical lifestyle preferences were becoming more widely accepted, the fashion directly reflected the breaking of social norms. At the end of the 60s many movements, including the civil rights movement, female liberation and gay rights activism, were the hottest topics in the country. In our current times, the same trend is evident within movements such as the push for greater acceptance of the LGBTQIA+ community and Black Lives Matter, which are seeking to foster an anti-homophobic, anti-transphobic, and antiracist sentiment within society. As a reflection of this, our modern culture has also reverted to mimic the 70s-held values of liberation, personal freedom, and acceptance, with these values impacting fashion and popular culture. Some of the best examples of this revival within pop culture in general has been by musical connections, such as Dua Lipa’s “Don’t Start Now,” which is a pop-disco spin on some of the 70s greatest disco hits. In musical revivals as well, it can be seen how the 2020s are adopting previous cultural trends as an expression of modern attitudes and beliefs. Moving forward, with fashion trends and political movements, we can utilize this historical and socio-cultural repetition of the 70s as guidance to the decades ahead of us, and hope that the drastically changing styles will bring sustainable social change along with it.